Divers capture state crowns

REINHOLD MATAY / FOR THE MIAMI HERALD Anthony Lewark, left, and brother Michael Lewark of American Heritage show off their medals following the FHSAA Class 1A Diving finals in Orlando on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007. Anthony won the state title while Michael finished 4th. » More Photos

Don't blame South Florida's gymnastics coaches for quivering.

Not after Thursday's Florida High School Athletic Association's 1A state swimming championships.

That's because Patti Kranz of Westminster Academy and Anthony Lewark of American Heritage each won their respective diving titles. And both Kranz and Lewark recently traded the balance beam for the diving board.

Recently, as in, about a year ago.

Kranz -- a freshman who dropped gymnastics in March because of the difficulty but ''didn't want to totally quit everything [athletic],'' she said -- posted a score of 409.70 to beat Jacksonville Bolles' Danielle Risley, who scored a 401.40. Lewark, a senior forced out of gymnastics by a broken wrist two years ago, edged Pompano Beach's Noah Garcia with a margin of 452.80 to 440.85.

In other words, they're a couple of quick studies.

''It was hard at first,'' said Kranz, who quickly left Orlando to visit her sister, Ashley, a freshman on Indiana University's swim team.

''The only difference [between the two sports] is that you've got to land on your head in diving,'' said Lewark, who was on the Olympic gymnastics track before overuse led to his injury. ``In gymnastics you always land on your feet. If you land on your head, you get in trouble.''

The transition -- figuring out how to land aside -- was made easier by the sports' similarities.

Both involve similar flexibility and athleticism, and both used those familiar moves to their advantage Thursday.

Now it's time to explore their potential. Kranz is just 14, and not quite thinking about college just yet.

''I just want to get better every year,'' she said.

Lewark -- who also edged his little brother, fourth-place finisher Michael -- is hoping to land a college scholarship. He mentioned the University of Miami and Florida as possible destinations, but remains unsure.

Dave Burgering, Lewark's coach at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Complex, said Lewark has major-college ability -- but his newness to the sport is hurting his chances.

''I think he's about a year away,'' Burgering said. ``It's too bad he's not a junior. He hasn't broken through yet on the national scene with USA Diving, so the coaches don't know him that well yet.''

Still, Burgering said, Thursday's win doesn't hurt.

''Florida high school diving is known pretty well,'' he said. ``But you can't beat seeing him in person, because then you see the strength, his quickness and things you can't really see on a scorecard.

``I'm hoping to get him into some meets this year with USA Diving that will get him some exposure, and hopefully things will happen pretty quick for him.''

Although the Pine Crest girls failed to take down dominant Bolles, junior Stephanie Eisenring -- a former state champion at Pompano Beach -- won both her events Thursday.

''I feel really successful,'' said Eisenring, who won both the 100 and 200 freestyle. ``There's no other word.''

As for her team's showing, which included a second-place overall finish and a state-record time of 1:34:37 in the 200 freestyle relay, Eisenring said the feeling was satisfaction, not disappointment. ''We don't regret anything,'' she said, ``and I know that none of us can say that we didn't try our hardest.''

• FHSAA Class 1A Swimming and Diving Finals (Top finishers and Broward) - Girls' team scores: 1. Bolles 426.5, 2. Pine Crest 319, 3. Lake Highland Prep 196, 4. Ransom Everglades 127, 5. American Heritage Plantation 119.5, 6. Bishop Verot (Fort Myers) 108, 7. Suncoast (Riviera Beach) 106, 8. Cardinal Gibbons 97. Girls results - 200 medley relay: 1. Bolles 1:47.28, 2. Lake Highland Prep 1:50.34, 3. Ransom Everglades 1:50.76, 4. Pine Crest 1:52.12, 5. Cardinal Gibbons 1:53.38; 6. American Heritage 1:53.94; 200 freestyle: 1. Stephanie Eisenring (PC) 1:47.81, 2. Stephanie Peacock (Bol) 1:48.19, 3. Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace (Bol) 1:48.64, 4. Siena DeVenuto (PC) 1:52.28; 200 IM: 1. Victoria Richmond (Bol) 2:02.30, 2. Grace Fredlake (TP) 2:06.87, 3. Maddy Rosenthal (Rans) 2:07.45, 5. Rebecca Aiello (PC) 2:07.89; 50 free: 1. Brooke Atkinson (PC) 23.57, 2. Kelsey Krauss (SPC) 23.95, 3. Madison Wagner (SFM) 24.01, 4. Meghan Quinn (PC) 24.13, 4. Melissa Cooper (AH) 24.13, 7. Alex Sutton (CGib) 24.30; 100 Fly: 1. Chelsie Britt (LHP) 55.22, 2. Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace (Bol) 55.38, 3. Kelsey Krauss (SPC) 56.98, 5. Jessica Kazmin (PC) 58.32, 7. Rebecca Aiello (PC) 58.44; 100 Free: 1. Stephanie Eisenring (PC) 50.61, 2. Lara Moseley (PC) 51.44, 3. Aubrey Peacock (Bol) 51.64, 6. Meghan Quinn (PC) 52.75; 500 free: 1. Stephanie Peacock (BV) 4:45.22, 2. Siena DeVenuto (PC) 4:52.51, 3. Sterling Wine (LHP) 4:52.76, 8. Courtney Randolph (AH) 5:00.98; 200 freestyle relay: 1. Pine Crest 1:34.37, 2. Bolles 1:35.39, 3. Suncoast 1:39.76, 5. Cardinal Gibbons 1:40.95; 100 back: 1. Aubrey Peacock (Bol) 55.11, 2. Brooke Atkinson (PC) 56.21, 3. Julia Nagy (CB) 56.55, 4. Ashley Hicks (CSC) 58.08, 7. Lauren Cuervo (CGib) 1:00.06; 100 Breast: 1. Melissa Cooper (AH) 1:03.87, 2. Victoria Richmond (Bol) 1:04.60, 3. Christine Slomka (AHD) 1:05.92; 400 free relay: 1. Bolles 3:24.62, 2. Pine Crest 3:26.04, 3. Bishop Verot 3:36.48, 6. American Heritage 3:39.40; Diving: 1. Patti Kranz (WA) 409.70, 2. Danielle Risley (Bol) 401.40, 3. Sydney Couch (LHP) 400.65, 4. Christina Sterman (AH) 379.75.

• FHSAA Class 1A Swimming and Diving Finals (Top finishers and Broward) - Boys team scores: 1. Bolles 338, 2. Pine Crest 151, 3. Cardinal Gibbons 126, 4. Tampa Prep 119, 5. Jesuit 115, 6. Trinity Prep 103, 7. Coral Springs Charter 100, 8. Gulliver Prep 100. Boys results - 200 medley relay: 1. Pine Crest 1:38.54, 2. Tampa Prep 1:38.88, 3. Trinity Prep 1:40.75, 5. Coral Springs Charter 1:41.83, 8. Cardinal Gibbons, 1:43.68; 200 freestyle: 1. Austin Detra (SC) 1:39.38, 2. Pat Ceddia (Moon) 1:40.43, 3. Jonathan Jordan (Berk) 1:40.64, 5. John Jessell (CGib) 1:42.74, 8. Stephano Miranda (PC) 1:45.00; 200 IM: 1. Branden Whitehurst (Bol) 1:50.82, 2. Cameron Martin (CCC) 1:51.75, 3. Michael Rosenthal (Rans) 1:53.85, 7. Dawid Goszcycki (PC) 1:56.45; 50 freestyle: 1. Steven Wright (Trin) 20.96, 2. Rodion Davelaar (Bol) 21.05, 3. Donald Sutton III (CGib) 21.22, 6. Paul Murray (AmHer) 21.64; 100 fly: 1. Jose Crescimbeni (CalC) 48.70, 2. Cameron Martin (CCC) 50.59, 3. Travis Lombardozzi (CB) 51.30, 4. David Harding (CSC) 51.39, 5. Brandon Hicks (CSC) 51.42; 100 free: 1. James Turner (LP) 45.61, 2. Steven Wright (TP) 46.05, 3. Branden Whitehurst (Bol) 46.16, 5. Donald Sutton III (CGib) 47.16; 500 free: 1. Austin Detra (SC) 4:29.81, 2. Jonathan Jordan (Berk) 4:31.13; 3. Pat Ceddia (Moon) 4:31.20; 7. John Jessell (CGib) 4:39.86; 8. Dawid Goszcycki (PC) 4:40.44; 200 free relay: 1. Bolles 1:24.40, 2. Tampa Prep 1:29.46, 3. Coral Springs Charter 1:29.91; 100 back: 1. Jose Crescimbeni (CalC) 50.16, 2. Jason Khoury (TP) 51.81, 3. Raymond De Padua (53.05), 7. Robert Dowd (PC) 54.88; 100 breast: 1. Jowan Qupty (Bol) 57.27, 2. Michael Rosenthal (Rans) 58.08, 3. Matt Stumpf (TP) 58.48, 5. Nicholas Manousos (PC) 1:00.12; 400 free relay: 1. Bolles 3:07.53, 2. Cardinal Gibbons 3:12.99, 3. Pine Crest 3:13.61; diving: 1. Anthony Lewark (AH) 452.80, 2. Noah Garcia (Pomp) 440.85, 3. Luke Zippi (Viera) 435.10, 4. Michael Lewark (AH) 433.45.